Friction shock-absorbing mechanism



Apr w, 1923,

J. Fl O'CONNOR FRICTION SHOCK ABSORBING MECHANISM Original Filed Oct 17, 1921 2 sheets-sheet 1 Jami? $@1mar Apr. 10,1923. 1,451,104

J. F. OCONNOR FRICTION SHOCK ABSORBING MECHANISM Original Filed 001;. 17, 1921 2 sheets-sheet 2- A Y fig4 1 222/ 4 f zzuezzzr I u a/zmffi 0112202" 'e ews' a h es Joan's. o'connos, or cnrcaeqvrmmoxs, nssieivon T wricmaivr H. MINER, or

' ,CHAZY, new YonK.

FRifLTIOII SHOCK-ABSGBBING MECHANISM inplicstlon filed Getober 1 7, 1921; Serial no. 508,336. Renewed February, 16, 1923.

T 0 (ill whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Jenn F. OCozvnoe, a citizen of the United States, residing at (/lllcage, inthe county of Cook and 'tltate of 'Illinois, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Friction Shock-erbsorhing Mechanisms, of which the following is a toll, clear, concise, and exact dcscrip reference being had to the accompanytion, rorming a part of this speci- 19 ing drawings,

fica-tion,

This invention relates to improvements in friction shock absorbing mechanisms. ."iheobject'of the invention is to provide a friction shock absorbing rnechani n especially adapted for railway draft riggings wherein are obtained high capacity, certain releaseflargge frictional wearing areas, low pressure per unit of frictional area, and es novel and ellicient means for efleci'mg' return of certain of" the parts to norn'ial position. I

in the drawing forming a part of this specification, Figure l is a horizontal, lonfifi 'gitndinal sectional view of a portion of a railway draft rigging showing my improvements in connection lLlUOIi-E-Wlhll, 2 z

vertical transverse sectional view corre- ,sponding to the line 2-2 of Fig 1. Fig. 3 9 is a vertical sectional view of the shock absorbing mechanism proper, upon an enlarged scale, correspondiiw to the section line 5-3, of Fly". 1. Figs. i and are broken longitudinal sectional views correspending to the lines &4 and 5-5 of Fig.

3. And Figs. 6, 7, 8 and 9 are detail perspect-ivcs of wedge, a wedge-shoe, s stationary friction plate, and a spring fol lower,respectively, employed in my conso *"s'tructionf. .1 In said drawings, the arrangement of center sills, stop lugs, drawbar, 'yolre and front follower is the some asthatcommonly Q11)- .ployed, the details orwhich need not be de scribed. "ihc improved shoclr absorbing mechanism "proper, as shown, comprises a casting i which combii'ies the friction shell proper and spring cage; twin arranged main springs B-'B,; a tionary friction plates C; a seriesof relatively movable friction plates l); a wedge E; a pair of wedge-frictionshoes l -l a pair of antiiriction rollers G ellg a spring followerli; a retainer bolt 3; en anchoring pl ates (7.

series of relatively stag bar K and a series of pressnre-transmitting elements L-L.

The casting A, which may be variously termed a follower-acting-memher, a columnload-sustaining nie'mber'or shell, is of gen orally rectangular form having upper and lower walls 10-l0, integrally united at the rear ot'the casting by a vertical transverse wall 11 which cooperates with the rear stop] is at the forward or outer end, as shown, and

the same is provided with upper and lower sets of transversely extending ribs 13-13 by means of which the stationary friction plates (l are adapted to be anchored to the casting against longitudinal movement elthough le't't freely responsive to laterally a1)- plieil pressure [is clearly indicated in Fig. 8, the plates C are suitably notched or recessed on their iipper and lower thickened edges as indicatmlati l-14 to cooperate with the ribs 13 for the purpose mentioned.

The movable plates 1) are of rectangular form'and are alternated with the stationary The ilates D are guided in grooves or, guides'which are defined by the stationary plates C as clearly indicated in 8. In normal position of the parts, the plates T) extend oiitwardly from the stationaryplatcs toward the frontfollower but are left slightly spaced from the latter as shown in vFig, 1. The inner ends hf the movable plates D normally terminate at tit-point intermediatethe front and rear ends of the stationary plates C, as shown in Fig. 1. The twoseries (if-plates C and D are divided into two groups one on each side of the center line so as to leave a central space to accommodate the wedgingor pressurecreatingz system.

The spring follower H is of special form, the details of which are best illustrated in Fig. 9. As shown, said spring follower comprises a main plate or follower section proper 17 extending transversel of the mechanism and against the inner face of which the forward ends of the two springs 13 are adapted to bear. Extended forwardly or outwardly from the plates 17 are two vertically disposed relatively heavy flanges lfil8 separated sulticiently to straddle the anchor block or bar K. The forward edges of said heavy flanges 18 are flat as indicated at l9-l9 to provide shoulders bearing against the inner ends 2()--2() of the wedge-shoes F. Extended forwardly from the flanges is at the top and bottom and arranged horizontally are integral flanges l2tl-l20 which are adapted to straddle the friction-shoes i the rollers G and the wedge E so as to hold all of said last named elements in proper position. vertically, as best indicated in Fig. 4.

The anchor bar or block b has the ends thereof seated in suitable recesses :2l-2l provided on the inner faces of the top and bottom walls ll) of the casting A inthe center line thereof. said anchor bar K being limited in its forward movement relative to the casting A by the intermediate ribs 13. On its front side. the bar I\' is recessed. as indicated at :22. and is formed with a slotted. overhanging flange 23 behind which the head of the retainer bolt J is engaged so as to anchor the inner end of the bolt. The shank of the bolt is extended through a suitable opening in the wedge l; and is anchored to the latter by means of the nut 24 which is seated in a socket provided in the wedge E. In this manner it will be observed that the wedge and other parts of the wedging systenr are held against accidental removal and also that initial compression may be imposed upon the springs B by tightening down the nut 24.

The plate section 17 of the spring follower H is normally spaced from the inner ends of the stationary friction plates 0. In order to provide for the return of the mo 'able plates D to normal position after a. compression stroke. the column pressure transmitting plates or elements L are used. the latter corresponding in number to the number of movable plates D. Each of said elements L is of lesser thickness than the thickness of the movable plate'sD so that said elements L are loosely interposed between the stationary plates C and hence do not afford any resistance in the return of the parts to normal during the release action. The length of said elements L is made such as to return the movable plates D to their proper position at the tiu'ie'the spring follower H has reached its normal position. By making the elements L independent of each other and separate from the spring follower, the same may be made very cheaply and, in the event of breakage of any one, the cost of replacement is reduced to a minimum.

The operation is as follows, assuming a butting action of the drawbar. As the latter is moved inwardly. the wedge system is simultaneously moved inwardly therewith Without actuation of the movable plates D until the front follower 16 has traversed the space normallv left between it and the outer ends of the plates 1). During this preliminary action. it will be noted that the spring follower ll will have been forced inwardly. thus relieving the plates D of any resistance from the springs B and simultaneously setting up the desired lateral-pressure on the two groups of intercalated plates. After the follower 16 engages the plates D. the latter and the wedging system together with the spring follower I'l. move inwardly simultaneously and uniformly, the limitbeing determined by engagement of the follower 16 with the outer end of the casting A. During release. the initial action is as follows: 'lhe springs B immediately expand thus forcing the spring follower ll outwardly and the latter in turn forcing the wedge-shoes F and the wedge ll outwardly without any movement of the plates D. This initial action continues for a limited distance. thereby immediately reducing the pressure on the plates until finally the spring follower H shifts the pressure-transmitting elements L into engagement with the inner ends of the movable plates D. the latter then being forced outwardly under the continued expansion of the springs B.

T have herein shown and described What I now consider the preferred manner of carrying out the invention. but the same is merely illustrative and l contemplate all changes and modifications that come within the scope of the claims appended hereto.

I claim:

1. In a friction shock absorbinginechanism. the combination with a follower-aeting-member: stationary friction plates anchored to said of a'plurality of relatively I no member. against movement longitudinally said sta-' terposed between the inner ends of said 'mov-y able plates and said spring follower.

2. In a, friction shock absorbing mechanism, the combination with a follower-acteanne;

ing member; of a plurality of relatively sietionary friction plates anchored to said member against movement ion itndinally thereof but responsive to lateral y pressure; a plursiliiy of relatively niorabl friction plates interealated with said stir itionary plates, said inleroelated plates being divided into 'iwo laterally separated groups and the inner ends of the movable. plates terminating intermediate the ends of the svezionary pisses; lateral-pressuresPeat in niezins disposed between said two groups or and cooperable'therewith; a spring resistance; a spring follower interposed lie-- tween said resistance and she inner ends off' the inieroalnted plates; and a plurality of separate colinnn-pressnre-transniitting inents, one for each of the movable frieiion plates, inte fposcd. bet I :81] the inner ends of said movable plates and the spring follower, said elements being; loosely inierposed be.- tween the si'wtionary friction plates.

3. in a. friction shock absorbing m8Chnisin, the combination with a follower-acting member; of a plurality of relatively stationiiry friction plates anchored to said member against movement longitudinally thereof but responsive in laterally applied pressure; pluraliq' of relatively movable friction oldies intercalnted with said sun tionary plates. said intercalated plates be' ing divided into two laterally separaied groups and the inner ends of the movable appliml tion snring follower and the inner ends of 'the the intercalated plates, said spring follower having a pair of vertically disposed Flanges extended outwardly therefrom and a pair of horizontally disposed flanges ex- -tended outwardly "from said vertical flanges,

said horizontally disposed flanges straddling the lnteral-pressnre-creating means; a vertically extending centrally disposed anchoring bar monn'tei Within said follower-acting member and extending between said Vertically disposed flanges of the spring follower; retaining means operatively assoeieted with. said anchoring bar and said pressure crea li'ngmeans; and a plurality of ndependent pressure-transmitting elements oosely mounted between the stationary fricpisses and interposed between said movable friction plates. I

in WIURQSS that .l claim the foregoing I have hereunto subscribed my name this 11th day of (lot, 1921,

JGHN F. QGONNOR.

l Vitnesses CARRIE GAILING, ANN BAKER. 

